Sandbar Lakes Fishing Guide, Waupaca County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Out in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, sits Sandbar Lakes. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 17 acres — small enough to read in one session. A shoreline of some 1.2 miles keeps the choices simple. Head to King, 5.2 miles away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Green Bay is 60 miles off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Sandbar Lakes

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Waupaca County include brown trout, flathead catfish, rainbow trout and common carp. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Sandbar Lakes a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 15°F in January and 70°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Sandbar Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Crystal Lake, 0.4 miles out. Check the position at Sandbar Lakes before loading the car.